Combined holder and automatic circuit breaker for electric soldering irons



July 3, 1928. 1,675,401

I W. ALFERINK COMBINED HOLDER AND AUTOMATIC CIRCUIT BREAKER FOR ELECTRICSOLDERING IRONS Filed D80. 22, 1926 yflzmwrih secured to the pin 12 byreason Patented July 3, 19 28.

I UNITED STATES PATENT} WILLIAM ALFERINK, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNOB.0F ONE-THIRD TO JOSEPH H. V

WEAVER AND ONE-THIRD TO CARRIE L. WEAVER, BOTH OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

l COMBINED HOLDER AND AUTOMATIC CIRCUIT BREAKER FOR ELECTRIC SOLIOERINGIRONS.

Application filed December 22, 1926. Serial No. 156,388.

This invention relates to a combined holder and circuit breaker forelectrical soldering irons and has for Its p'rlmarybbject to provide adevice of this character that is constructed for receiving a solderingiron when the same is not in use, and thathas associated therewith athermostatically controlled switch that may bereadily connected to thehouse electric supply and to which may be electrically connected thesoldering iron, with the result that the proper temperature of the ironis at all times maintained, and in order that current will be saved whenthe iron is properly heated. l5

vide a device of this character that is extremely simple ofconstruction, inexpensive of manufacture, and that is otherwise welladapted for all the purposes intended.

Now having particular reference to the drawing,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved device, a conventionalsoldering iron being disclosed as associated therewith.

Figure 2 is an open edge view ofthe device, the iron holder per sebeingremoved, and

Figure 3 is a transverse section thereof taken substantially upon theline 33 of 80 Figure 1.

Now having particular reference to the drawing, my novel device consistsof a relatively rectangular and flat shaped casing preferably of metaland being open at one longitudinal edge as clearly indicated in Figure2, while at this edge there is secured in any predetermined manner, arelatively elongated metallic tube 6 for receiving the -iron portion ofa conventional electricsoldering iron 7 that is equipped with theelectric cable 8 having an attachment plug 9 atthe free end thereof. I

Arranged longitudinally within the "easing 5 adjacent the open edgethereof is a metallic thermostat strip 10 anchored to and insulated fromthe side walls of the casing as indicated in Figure 2. Upon the free endof this thermostat strip is a contact point 11, while slidable uponacross pin '12 between the side walls of the casing at'the endof thethermostat strip is a contact carrying unit 13 within which is mounted acontact 14. Said unit 13 is adjustably of an elon- A further andimportant object is to pro-' gated threaded screw 15 threaded within the,unit and extending through one side Wall of the casing as indicated inFigure 2.

mental socket unit 16 forreceiving the plug 9 of the soldering ironcable 8, while said casing is also equipped with a lamp bulb socket 17within which may be and preferfrom the casing is a double wired cable 19that is equipped with a plug 20 for engagement within an outlet socketof the house current, while one of said wires are electricall connected,as indicated by dotted lines in igure 1, with one of the contacts of thesocket 16, whilethe other wire thereof is electrically connected to acontact of the socket 17, and to the contact 11 of the ther mostat strip10. The other contact of the socket 16 and the. adjustable contact 14 0fthe thermostat of which are electrically interconnected as indicated bythe dotted lines in Figure 1, while this wire also has electricalconnection with the other contact of the socket 17 as again indicated bythe dotted lines in said figure.

It wilL'be obvious that when-the plug 20 is engaged within a socket ofthe house current and the plug 9 engaged Within the socket 16, thecircuit will be completed to the soldering iron due to the fact that ina cold state the thermostat 10 is in such position that its contact 11has engagement with the contact 14. However, when the iron becomesgreatly heated, this heat will be imparted to the tube like holder 6,and thence to the thermostat causing the same to expand in such adirection that the contacts 11 and 14 will be separated and the circuitconsequently broken, closing the current to the iron, however the lightcomes on. In other words when the current to the iron is shut off thesoldering iron light automatically lights.

In .order that the breakage of the circuit may be regulated at differentiron temperatures, the thermostat 10 is connected inter- -mediate' itsends to one end of a coil spring 21, the other end of which is connectedto The casing 5 is equipped with a comple- I ably arranged an electricbulb 18. Leading an adjusting device 23 operable at the outer side ofthe casing .5 in order that varying tensions may be'applied tothe springfor adding to the heat resistance of the thermostat.

It will thus be seen that I have provided also for use in the automaticmaking and breaking of the electrical circuit to the irons,

that is well adapted for all the purposes appended claims.

heretofore designated and even though I have herein shown and describedthe invention as consisting of certain detail structural elements, it isneverthelessto be understood that minor changes may be made thereinwithout effecting the spirit and scope of the Having thus describedtheinvention, what I claim as new is":'- 1. In a device of the classdescribed, a casing, means associated with the casing for supporting anelectric soldering iron, a normally closing thermostatic switch arrangedin the casing and operable to open position by a predetermined heat ofthe iron, said switch comprising a thermostat strip pivoted at one endin the casing, a contact carried by the free end thereof, a pin in thecasing, a member slidable and adjustable on said pin, a contact carriedby said member, said contacts being in engagement with each other untilthe iron reaches a predetermined degree of heat whereupon the strip andthe .1 contact carried thereby moves away from the second mentionedcontact. i

2. In a device. of the class described, a casing, meansassociated withthe casing for supporting an electric soldering iron, a nor- 1 mallyclosing thermostatic switch arranged in the casing and operable to openposition V by a predetermined heat of the iron, saidswitch comprising athermostat strip pivoted at one end in the casing, a contact carried-bythe free end thereof, a pin' in the casing, a member slidable andadjustable on said pin, a cbntactcarried by said member,- said contactsbeing in engagement with each other'until the iron reaches apredetermined' degree of heat whereupon the strip and the contactcarried thereby moves away from the second mentioned contact, and meanswhereby the switch may-be regulated as to operate in a circuit openingmanner at predetermined heat degrees of said iron.

'3. In a device of the class described, a casing, means associated withthe casing for supporting an electric soldering iron, a normally closingthermostatic switch arranged in the casing and operable to open positionby a predetermined heat of the iron, said switch comprising a thermostatstrip vplvoted at one end in. the casing, a contact carried by the freeend thereof, a pin in the casing, a member slidable and adjustable onsaid pin, a contact carried by said member, said contacts being inengagement with each other until the iron reaches a predetermined 1degree of heat whereupon the strip and the contact carried thereby movesaway from the second mentioned contact, means whereby the switch may beregulated as to operate in I a circuit opening manner at predeterminedheat degrees of said iron, said last mentioned means comprising a coilspring attached at one end to the intermediate portion of the pivotedstrip, and an adjustable device arranged on the outer side of the casingand connected to the other end of the spring for adjusting the tensionthereof.

4. .In a thermostatic switch for irons, a

casing, a pin arranged Vertically within the casing, a' member shdableon said pin, a contact carried by said member, an ad usting screwconnected to the movable member andv extending through the casing-formoving said shdable member to any predetermined adjusted position on thepm, a thermostat strip pivoted at one end in the casing, and a contactcarried by the free end of the strip and normally in engagement with theaforementioned contact until the iron reaches a. predetermined heat,whereupon the pivoted strip and the contactcarried thereby is mov'edout'of 'engagement with the first mentioned m n a.

- In testimony whereof I aflix my signature. WILLIAM ALFERINK.

